


got you on speed dial

by tinytonysnark



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, Happy birthday to my smol son, M/M, MIT Era, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-29 23:05:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19029772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinytonysnark/pseuds/tinytonysnark
Summary: @petequill on twitter: i bet tony calls rhodey first always when something exciting happens to himme: and i OOP





	got you on speed dial

**Author's Note:**

> i meant to post this like 3 days ago for Tony’s birthday but hey it’s still the 29th for some of y’all and anyway time doesn’t exist so happy birthday tony stark i love you more than i will ever love any man
> 
> the tweet that started this: https://twitter.com/petequill/status/1132801556854657025?s=21

It used to be Jarvis, and so by extension Ana, that were was the first to know whenever something exciting happens to him.

He had called Jarvis the instant he had found out he got into MIT. There wasn’t really much doubt about him getting in what with him being Tony Stark, a legacy of proud alumnus Howard Stark as well as a child prodigy, but still. It was good news. Exciting news that Tony wanted to share with someone. He didn’t have a lot of friends and so it had been Jarvis, who got an earful of of excitable yelling.

He had called them the same day after they had helped him settle into his new dorm room. Jarvis had implored him to not aggravate his roommate by making a mess and Ana told him that he better eat good and proper meals and how she’d give him a whacking if he came back during the break looking like a bag of bones.

“Do you miss us already little bug?” Ana asks, answering the phone.

“I met my roommate!” Tony hisses into his phone because he didn’t want the other boy to overhear him. “His name is James and his mother came in and called me a dear little thing and told her son that he better take care of me? Did the both of you coerce someone to make sure I had a babysitter?” Tony asked, the words tumbling out in a rush.

Ana had laughed at him, which _rude._ He’s well within his rights to come to that conclusion, they really would do something like that. “No little bug, we didn’t do anything I promise. I won’t say I’m not glad that there will be someone to look out for you however. Oh hold on dear-“

There was a scuffling sound before Jarvis’ voice came through. “Hello young Sir, if you could please put your new roommate on the phone, that would be appreciated.”

“What? No!” Tony yelled, casting a sideways glance to where the boy had paused from putting his books on his desk to shoot him a quizzical look. “I’m not gonna do that Jarv! That’s weird!” he says, lowering his voice. “I don’t want him to think I’m weird.”

“Anthony, put him on the phone,” Jarvis had said in _that_ voice, the voice that meant business and Tony could picture his face so clearly, eyebrows furrowed causing creases on his forehead and mouth in a severe line.

He had just sighed before going over to where Rhodey was, holding the phone out to him. The boy had arched an eyebrow at him.

“They want to talk to you,” was all Tony said and Rhodey had taken the phone from him, no questions asked.

To this day, Tony has no idea what Jarvis had said to him, and he couldn’t even figure it out since all of Rhodey’s answers had either been a “Yes, sir” or “No, sir.”

When Tony got the phone back Jarvis only said, “I like him. He’ll do just fine,” then told Tony that they miss him already and that they’ll see him for break before hanging up.

Rhodey wouldn’t tell him what Jarvis had asked but he invited Tony to dinner with some of his friends to “the best cheeseburger joint in the country” and didn’t even blink when Tony stole some of his milkshake- drank from the same straw and everything-  and didn’t seem to mind that he had called him Rhodey the entire time because “ _it suits you better than James.”_

Tony knew then and there that Rhodey was going to be his best friend.

It didn’t take long before he stopped calling Jarvis over new and exciting news but Rhodey instead.

He had called Rhodey the instant DUM-E had whirred to life, beeping at him and rolling around, exploring his lab.

“He works! He’s learning!” he had shouted into the phone. “I waved at him and he did it back!”

Rhodey had given a small laugh, “I’m so proud of you Tones,” he said, voice full of warmth. “I’m gonna come to the lab and see little helper bot now that he’s awake. I’ll bring some dinner, grilled cheese sandwiches.”

Tony only smiled, not expecting anything else. Rhodey only knew how to make two things and they already had mac & cheese this week. “Yeah, sounds great. I, uh, haven’t really eaten all day,” Tony said, wincing. Rhodey was a mama bear, he had learned.

There was a pause on the line before, “I’m making you four sandwiches and you better eat every single one, crust included,” he said, voice severe before promptly hanging up.

Rhodey had sat with him in his lab and watched him eat the sandwiches while also teaching DUM-E how to fetch.

Rhodey had been his first call when he had the idea to make U - he’d been in class, thinking about how DUM-E was alone in the lab everytime he wasn’t there and had immediately started his sketches - and Rhodey hadn’t laughed at him or thought it was silly to build a robot so that another robot wouldn’t be lonely.

Rhodey had even helped him build U and when  he started up and worked perfectly, Tony had launched himself into Rhodey’s arm and yelled into his ears, “He works!”

He winced but didn’t push Tony out of his arms but instead hugged him back and just said, “Yeah, he does.”

They both fell asleep on the couch in the lab that night, too tired to trek all all the way back to the dorms and Tony had woken up the next morning cuddled up in Rhodey’s arms.

He found he liked it there.

Two years into college and Rhodey hadn’t grown tired of him, and they were still roommates.

Rhodey was now always the first to know whenever new and exciting things happened to him or even sometimes when Tony was just happy.

Like when he’d gotten full marks for an assignment he thought he’d done poorly on or when his lecturer gave him a compliment on his work or if the barista at the café would give him a free shot of espresso in his coffee (Rhodey tends to not be amused about this but Tony would still tell him anyway) or when he had met a gorgeous but absolutely terrifying ginger haired woman named Virginia who was attending Harvard business school and Tony was certain she would take over the world roughly 7 years after she graduates. Maybe in five if she can get the right resources.

When Tony told Rhodey he had nicknamed her Pepper, the other boy only said, “let me guess, it just suits her better,” and Tony had laughed and replied, “It does! She’s fiery!” 

But when he realised he was in love with his best friend, he couldn’t call the first person he usually would.

Because then he’d be calling Rhodey, to say that he was in love with him. Which, _no_.

So, he called Jarvis. And he wasn’t panicking. _He wasn’t._ He always breathes this fast.

Jarvis had answered after the third ring. “Is something wrong Sir? It is not Saturday yet.”

“Uh, no, no it isn’t. I just, I’m-“ he couldn’t say it. Saying it makes it true and Tony didn’t want it to be true. Not when nothing could come of it. Rhodey never seemed interested in Tony like _that_ and Tony didn’t even know if Rhodey liked men!

Oh God, this was just gonna end in tears. His tears. 

“Sir,” Jarvis said, voice soft. “What’s wrong?”

Tony let out a breath, “I’m in love with Rhodey.”

“Oh,” was all Jarvis said after a minute. “Well, is James in loves with you?”

“I don’t know! Jarvis I don’t even know if he’s gay!” Tony yells, pacing in his dorm.

“He’s my best friend. I fell in love with my best friend. Oh god,” Tony groans, falling backwards into his bed and flinging his arm over his eyes, “I’m in a teenage romance movie but the ones with terrible dialogue but great soundtracks.”

“Jarvis, what do I do?”

“Well sir, I suppose you should tell him. If he is a good man which I’d like to think he is, even if he may not feel the same,” Jarvis says, “he will not think less of you. If he does feel the same then wonderful, I’ll be happy for you Sir. However, as Mister Rhodes is three years your senior and you are in fact, underage, be sure to tell him that if he makes any sexual advances to you, Ana will personally butcher him in an unsavory manner while I dig his grave under the oak tree in the front lawn.”

“Jarvis!” Tony laughed, sitting up and putting his back to the headboard, “I doubt he feels the same. And in the off chance he did, he’d never try anything. My Rhodey Bear is an upstanding citizen and a pillar of the community.”

“What don’t I feel the same about and what wouldn’t I try?” Rhodey’s voice rings out before he comes into view.

Tony freezes, eyes wide but he can hear Jarvis’ laugh coming through the phone before it clicks.

 _Abandoned, in my time of need,_ Tony thought while also trying to come up with a suitable answer to Rhodey’s question that doesn’t sound like an absolute lie.  

“Uh, Ana gave me a new recipe to try,” he eventually settles on, “but you don’t feel the same about spicy food like I do so you probably won’t try it,” he finishes, satisfied with his answer. Rhodey doesn’t eat to his spiciness level so it’s not a reach.

“Oh, what’s the dish?”

“Uh, it was Polish.”

“Huh, so it has nothing to do with the fact that you’re in love with me?” Rhodey asked, a small smile on his face.

Tony felt his heart drop to his stomach and his face heat up. “How long were you listening?” he asked.

Rhodey had just shrugged, like an _asshole_ , as if Tony wasn’t clearly panicking. “Long enough to know you’re in love with your best friend. You’re the main character of every romantic comedy showing at the cinema right now by the way.”

And okay, Tony knows he had made the same comparison not 3 minutes ago, but still. “Shut up! I am not!”

“You’re not the star of this summer’s must watch movie or you’re not in love with me?” Rhodey asked, arching an eyebrow at him.

Tony had decided that burying himself underneath his blanket seemed like a better endeavor than having to have this conversation and curls up under it, blocking out the light from the windows and also Rhodey’s face. “Stop making fun of me asshole,” he finally says.

He takes a deep breath, stifling under the heat of his blanket, cause he really didn’t think that through, but feeling braver not having to see Rhodey’s face when he says, “I’m in love with you.”

The bed moves a little when he feels Rhodey sit on the edge of it, pulling the blanket off of Tony and causing his hair to stick up in tufts. Rhodey laughs at his expression before saying, “I know.”

Like an asshole.

“Did you really just quote from Star Wars at me?”

Rhodey grinned. “Come on, that line was perfect. And Star Wars is perfect. I hope they make more.”

Tony scrunched his nose. “Uh no, it ended perfectly. What else could you possibly want?”

Rhodey shrugged. “Knowing more about Darth Vader would be totally tight.”

“The guy who made them said he had plans for more but I think those got scrapped. Tough break dude.”

“Maybe he’ll change his mind? But anyway, I’m in love with you too genius,” Rhodey said, casual as if he had just told Tony he was making chicken pie for dinner.

His culinary repertoire has expanded significantly over the last two years. He had a genius to feed.

He laughs at Tony’s gobsmacked expression  and Tony hits him in the chest once his brain stopped flatlining and gave him his motor controls back.

Then Tony had surged up and kissed Rhodey right on the mouth. It was terrible. Their teeth clacked together painfully, both their lips were dry and Tony’s hand was trapped in an awkward angle.

Rhodey pulled back from him just a little to touch their foreheads together and so he could hold Tony’s hand in his. “I love you, but you’re still 16 while I’m 19, and in love or not, neither Jarvis or Ana or even my mom will hesitate to kill me if we uh, go too far.”

“You’re not even gonna kiss me?” Tony had asked, disbelief clear. “For two years, you’re just gonna what? Hold my hand?”

“Oh no, I’m gonna kiss you. I’m gonna kiss you all the time,” Rhodey said, wide grin on his face. “But I’m just laying down the ground rules ya know. Making sure we’re on the same page.”

“Ground has been laid. We’re both on page 270. Now, kiss me,” Tony said, pulling at Rhodey’s shirt.

That night, while Rhodey had gone to get them dinner, Tony had called him while he’d been standing in line at the café.

“Tones? Did you want-“

“Something exciting happened to me today,” Tony said, cutting him off.

He could hear Rhodey’s smile as he asked, “Oh yeah, what was it?”

“I kissed my boyfriend. My brand new, haven’t been dating for more that 4 hours boyfriend.”

“ _Brand new_? What am I, a car? And we’ve been dating for like, a year now. You were just slow on the uptake. Hey, did you want the soup with the rice?”

And on it went for years and years. Their relationship had its ups and downs, the stress of having to keep it secret taking its toll on them as time went on.

But they had to, for the sake of Rhodey’s career. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was the worst thing that happened to them.

They’d been affectionate with each other on campus but not overly so. Rhodey wasn’t huge on PDA, and Tony was fine with that.

But once DADT went into effect, the fact that even if he _wanted_ to, he couldn’t tell people how much he loved this brilliant, righteous, asshole of a man made both him and Rhodey mad beyond belief.

Tony spent a lot of his money funding lobbyists against the act and spoke publicly about his distaste for it. He told Rhodey that he’d have done it regardless if he was in a relationship with him and Rhodey had only said, “I know.”

Tony had to fake date a lot of people too. He ensured the media painted him as a heartbreaker and eventually, when the number of his _bedmates_ kept getting higher and higher, they changed the term to playboy.

He had paid a few people in the beginning, asking them to tell the media that he’d slept with them and never bothered to call again. After a while, people began to do it for him, free of charge.

Rhodey always knew they were lies.Tony never has to assure him of it, but he always calls everytime one his _conquests_ is splashed around all over the media and persistent because whoever it is this time is milking it for all it’s worth. And it must be worth a lot. 

But Rhodey always huffs whenever he calls over something like that and says, “I know baby. Now tell me things I actually need to know, like whether you’ve eaten and what U got up to today.”

10 years to the day after they had said I love you to each other and Rhodey is back on leave after four long months- naming him the official liaison between the Army and Stark Industries truly was a stroke of genius- and they’re watching a movie on the couch, Rhodey looks over at him, “Hey Tones?”

Tony was still watching the movie but responds with a hum.

“You wanna marry me?” Rhodey aksed, and Tony has a flashback to when the asshole had told him he loved him for the first time, casual as ever.

He’s looking at Rhodey with absolute disbelief on his face before clambering onto Rhodey’s lap and kissing him with everything’s he got.

Rhodey’s arms go around him, holding him in place and keeping him grounded. Like he’s always done. 

He pulls back after what feels like hours, lips pink and cheeks flushed. “I can’t believe this is how you chose to ask me but ugh, yes. I’ll marry you, asshole.”

Rhodey laughs before he kissing him again and it’s terrible because they’re both smiling too widely but neither one seem to care.

Much _much_ later, when Rhodey is downstairs in the kitchen getting them a glass of water and something to eat, Tony calls him.

“I got engaged today,” he said.

“I know,” Rhodey says, voice warm, “I asked you 3 hours ago. I can’t believe it took you this long to share your news with me though.”

Tony laughs, “Sorry I was sort of preoccupied. I’m thinking my fiancé should come back to me soon so I can be preoccupied again.”

A pause, before, “I’m on my way. Don’t move,” before the line clicks.

They got married in secret of course and Tony had made Rhodey his ring with an inscription that said, “yours forever” and Rhodey had made him one with an inscription that read “i know” to which Tony had half heartedly smacked him for but there were tears in his eyes when he saw it and he was smiling.

Pepper had been in attendance as well as the whole Rhodes family. They were the only ones who knew.

And life went on.

Rhodey was still the first person he called whenever he had good news to share. He shares the bad news too, but Tony has never liked making those calls.

It was difficult most times, when Rhodey is overseas and can’t take his calls. But they learned to deal with it.

When Obadiah tells him he’s gonna have to head to Afghanistan for a weapons demonstration, Rhodey is his first call.

He hasn’t seen him in two months and he wants his husband with him, damn it!

The demonstration goes as planned, and they don’t ride back together, lest they forget themselves, like planned.

The convoy getting blown up and Tony getting kidnapped however, not planned.

Being forced to build weapons for terrorists, who for some reason, already have his weapons- brand new not even shipped out to the Army- weapons was not part of any plan.

His first thought though, when he comes up with the idea for a weaponized suit of armor, is that he can’t wait to tell his Rhodey.

  


**Author's Note:**

> the name of this fic in my folder is RHODEYTONY RIGHTS!! all caps and exclamation points necessary. 
> 
> also, when star wars ep 1 came out, they both go to see it and after Tony spends the whole day claiming he was right and they should have just left it, they make an agreement to never speak of the prequels again. (they still go see ep 2&3 - tony makes the same comments every time)
> 
> Not beta’d so all mistakes are mine :) 
> 
> hope you liked it, comments and kudos appreciated! xx


End file.
